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How to Skimm Your Life
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • It might seem like everyone you know took secret classes on budgeting, owning their career, and choosing the right wine—and you were sick that day. How to Skimm Your Life .
With theSkimm’s trademark mix of real talk, humor, and inspirational messaging, this book gives you the information you need to make informed and empowered decisions in your life. Covering everything from personal finance, to career, to stress management, global politics, and more, How to Skimm Your Life breaks down some of the less glamorous parts of adulting and answers questions
• “What’s the difference between an ETF and a mutual fund?”
• “How should I negotiate my salary when I’m offered a new job?”
• “Should I claim standard or itemized deductions on my taxes?”
• “How should I tip while traveling abroad?”
• “How do I read the wine list without breaking out a dictionary?”
And much more . . .
Wine & Food • Travel • Networking • Job Searching • Personal Growth • Mental Health • Time Management • Budgeting • Investing • Health Insurance • International Relations • US Government
With life hacks for anyone who’s starting out in the real world, looking to make a change, or just wants a reset, How to Skimm Your Life will be time well spent—making it the perfect gift for graduation, birthdays, or your best friend “just because.”
With theSkimm’s trademark mix of real talk, humor, and inspirational messaging, this book gives you the information you need to make informed and empowered decisions in your life. Covering everything from personal finance, to career, to stress management, global politics, and more, How to Skimm Your Life breaks down some of the less glamorous parts of adulting and answers questions
• “What’s the difference between an ETF and a mutual fund?”
• “How should I negotiate my salary when I’m offered a new job?”
• “Should I claim standard or itemized deductions on my taxes?”
• “How should I tip while traveling abroad?”
• “How do I read the wine list without breaking out a dictionary?”
And much more . . .
Wine & Food • Travel • Networking • Job Searching • Personal Growth • Mental Health • Time Management • Budgeting • Investing • Health Insurance • International Relations • US Government
With life hacks for anyone who’s starting out in the real world, looking to make a change, or just wants a reset, How to Skimm Your Life will be time well spent—making it the perfect gift for graduation, birthdays, or your best friend “just because.”
256 pages, Hardcover
First published June 11, 2019
245 people are currently reading
1774 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 175 reviews
June 12, 2019
There's no way in heaven, earth, or hell that I will read this fallacy of a book.
1. This book was [curiously] written shortly after a very lengthy thread in theSkimm's ambassador FB group in which all of the info that was shared is somehow the exact info being covered in this book. I'm not here for a brand using the knowledge and hard work of their fan base to turn a profit.
2. TheSkimm's online community is full of rampant, unchecked racism and the brand owners care nothing about the disparate impact caused by their lack of moderation when it comes to racism.
Throw the whole book away.
1. This book was [curiously] written shortly after a very lengthy thread in theSkimm's ambassador FB group in which all of the info that was shared is somehow the exact info being covered in this book. I'm not here for a brand using the knowledge and hard work of their fan base to turn a profit.
2. TheSkimm's online community is full of rampant, unchecked racism and the brand owners care nothing about the disparate impact caused by their lack of moderation when it comes to racism.
Throw the whole book away.
June 11, 2019
I haven’t read the book but the skimm asked us to review the book even if we haven’t read it and that was super shady in my opinion. I love the skimm but this is too much
June 30, 2019
Okay. Some (a lot) of it was pretty useless/things I think everyone knows (like the basics of how wine is made, or how the US government works, or what documents you need to bring to travel, or how to recycle, or that you should get TSA precheck if you travel a lot).
But some of it would probably be helpful for a particularly inexperienced undergrad or recent grad who doesn’t know much (like how health insurance works, or how to file taxes, or what’s going on in the world, or how the electoral college and gerrymandering work). I already know those things, and I think most adults do, but maybe not brand new adults.
And, though I'm not one of those brand new adults (close, but no), I did learn one or two things--like the difference between 401Ks, IRAs, and Roth IRAs (this had always mystified me).
But mostly, this was empty airspace. Packing peanuts. I like the Skimm newsletter—it’s really convenient, and most mornings I don’t have time to read the news—but I think the company should stick to what they’re good at.
But some of it would probably be helpful for a particularly inexperienced undergrad or recent grad who doesn’t know much (like how health insurance works, or how to file taxes, or what’s going on in the world, or how the electoral college and gerrymandering work). I already know those things, and I think most adults do, but maybe not brand new adults.
And, though I'm not one of those brand new adults (close, but no), I did learn one or two things--like the difference between 401Ks, IRAs, and Roth IRAs (this had always mystified me).
But mostly, this was empty airspace. Packing peanuts. I like the Skimm newsletter—it’s really convenient, and most mornings I don’t have time to read the news—but I think the company should stick to what they’re good at.
June 11, 2019
Haven’t read the book but considering how theSkimm allows rampant racism in their Skimmbassador community and refuses to ever address despite multiple conversations, I can’t endorse anything they do.
These women are only out for themselves and could care less about helping others lead a better or easier life. You can find the same information in this book on the internet for free.
These women are only out for themselves and could care less about helping others lead a better or easier life. You can find the same information in this book on the internet for free.
June 11, 2019
This is going to be that book that you buy every graduate you know so they have a head start on life. I’m 28, and I learned a few new things by reading this book. Yes, it may have stuff you may have already learned in life but there is definitely a whole lot more insight on things you may not have known.
June 18, 2019
*Maybe* useful information for millennials but if you’re over 40 then this is common sense and common knowledge
July 16, 2019
3.5 stars rounded down. I have been a subscriber of @theskimm for a few years now, and it is still my choice for brief daily updates on what I need to know in the news. The opening quotes are literally the best, and will sometimes have me rolling. I was a little skeptical about reading an actual book of snippets, but whaddya know, there was actually a ton of useful information in here, and true to form, it was in bite size nuggets that I could ‘skim’ if you will and get exactly what I needed. I will keep this one around as a reference book for future use for sure.
Highlights for me were definitely the wine section, they were extremely smart in putting that as THE very first section. I mean, talk about starting off on the right foot. The travel and sleep sections were useful, as well as the budgeting/money section, because honestly, I could do better.
I could go on, but you get the drift, I think there will be something in here for everyone. It is a quick read, and you can mark the sections that you will refer to again and again, or leave it out as a nice coffee / end table book to share with others. Either way, I recommend this one, and will probably buy it as a gift for a few people in my life.
Highlights for me were definitely the wine section, they were extremely smart in putting that as THE very first section. I mean, talk about starting off on the right foot. The travel and sleep sections were useful, as well as the budgeting/money section, because honestly, I could do better.
I could go on, but you get the drift, I think there will be something in here for everyone. It is a quick read, and you can mark the sections that you will refer to again and again, or leave it out as a nice coffee / end table book to share with others. Either way, I recommend this one, and will probably buy it as a gift for a few people in my life.
June 14, 2019
Thank you Random House for gifting me a copy of this book.
I imagine that this book would have been even more helpful to me as I was graduating from college or even when I was navigating my 20s- which makes it a great gift for the people in your life who fall into those categories. At 33 a lot of the content covers concepts I've already incorporated into my life, like picking wines, cleaning a home, and figuring out health insurance. But other sections still provided helpful reminders, like investing, geopolitics, and civic engagement- things that are handy to have the occasional concise guide for.
I appreciated that everything is broken down to be easily understood while often including a bit of realism not always found it other guides. How often you should clean something vs how often you can realistically make the time to do so was a favorite. We're all doing the best we can!
I imagine that this book would have been even more helpful to me as I was graduating from college or even when I was navigating my 20s- which makes it a great gift for the people in your life who fall into those categories. At 33 a lot of the content covers concepts I've already incorporated into my life, like picking wines, cleaning a home, and figuring out health insurance. But other sections still provided helpful reminders, like investing, geopolitics, and civic engagement- things that are handy to have the occasional concise guide for.
I appreciated that everything is broken down to be easily understood while often including a bit of realism not always found it other guides. How often you should clean something vs how often you can realistically make the time to do so was a favorite. We're all doing the best we can!
June 17, 2019
This is a great read and would make a great gift for college students and most twenty-somethings. There are some awesome tips especially in the Skimm Life and Skimm MBA sections. I’m terrible at networking and I am really excited to apply some of their tips in my every day life. I’ll admit I’m overly critical of their health insurance section because I work in that industry, but I think they give more clarity than most resources and show the complexity of the health insurance industry.
Overall- I’m glad they wrote it. I’m thankful for my morning Skimm newsletter and I look forward to seeing what’s next from the co-founders of theSkimm.
Overall- I’m glad they wrote it. I’m thankful for my morning Skimm newsletter and I look forward to seeing what’s next from the co-founders of theSkimm.
September 3, 2019
I was sort of skeptical when Skimm announced they had an “adulting” book about life, careers, business,etc. I was a business major, I work at a mortgage office, I assumed it wouldn’t be very helpful for adulting info, BUT, even if some of it was simplified or ~review~ it is still an excellent reference book for a vast array of legitimate questions. Even if just for some of its helpful hints like mental cooking to fall asleep or how to fold a fitted sheet.
December 30, 2019
this was exhausting and i hope we leave #adulting content in the 2010s but i did learn about wine
June 25, 2019
I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I was surprised by this book. It is a very detailed guide-book to Life. I could have used this when I first graduated college and was out on my own for the first time and learning ALL the things involved in adulting. This is perfect for your 20s and setting the basis for balancing life, work, relationships, etc.
I checked out this copy from the library, but really, this is a book you want to own because it's really a go-to manual chock full of details and hacks that you'll want to refer to. Given it's scope and size, you can't really implement or use it well in your two-week checkout time from the library.
The main topics covered are Life, MBA, Money, The World. Things covered are how to choose wine, saving for retirement, networking for work, geopolitics and civic engagement. I found this to be way more fascinating and actually helpful than I anticipated.
One tip I picked up for decluttering my closet was to turn the hanger around when I wear an item. After 3-6 months, if your hanger hasn't turned around, it's time to donate the clothes because you don't actually wear it.
The Money section is a great overview on so many things that I somehow didn't learn in high school or college - details on health insurance, credit, leasing & ownership, investing, taxes and budgeting. All things that EVERYONE needs to know and the sooner you get it right, the better.
Could be a great graduation gift! (high school or college)
I checked out this copy from the library, but really, this is a book you want to own because it's really a go-to manual chock full of details and hacks that you'll want to refer to. Given it's scope and size, you can't really implement or use it well in your two-week checkout time from the library.
The main topics covered are Life, MBA, Money, The World. Things covered are how to choose wine, saving for retirement, networking for work, geopolitics and civic engagement. I found this to be way more fascinating and actually helpful than I anticipated.
One tip I picked up for decluttering my closet was to turn the hanger around when I wear an item. After 3-6 months, if your hanger hasn't turned around, it's time to donate the clothes because you don't actually wear it.
The Money section is a great overview on so many things that I somehow didn't learn in high school or college - details on health insurance, credit, leasing & ownership, investing, taxes and budgeting. All things that EVERYONE needs to know and the sooner you get it right, the better.
Could be a great graduation gift! (high school or college)
July 27, 2019
I've been reading theSkimm for a year or two now, just to keep mostly up to date on things happening in the world. When I saw that they had just released a book, I figured I would check it out mostly out of curiosity.
I think it's about what it promises to be. It covers a lot of different aspects of life, which for someone in their 20's, is probably pretty useful. It never hurts to know a few helpful tips here and there. As someone who hasn't really drunk, the wine section was surprisingly useful so I'm on the same page as other people. The taxes and negotiating sections were standard but always good to know. I think the pep talk section with quotes from successful women was a nice surprise, and I wrote down a lot of good quotes from there. I didn't get too much from the civic engagement section because I have a generally good idea of the process, but I'm sure it was more helpful for other people.
The best way to read this book is to read it with a notebook or Word doc in front of you, writing down all of the tidbits that would be useful to you. Not every section is going to be a hit, but there's probably going to be a few things you'll want to remember.
I think it's about what it promises to be. It covers a lot of different aspects of life, which for someone in their 20's, is probably pretty useful. It never hurts to know a few helpful tips here and there. As someone who hasn't really drunk, the wine section was surprisingly useful so I'm on the same page as other people. The taxes and negotiating sections were standard but always good to know. I think the pep talk section with quotes from successful women was a nice surprise, and I wrote down a lot of good quotes from there. I didn't get too much from the civic engagement section because I have a generally good idea of the process, but I'm sure it was more helpful for other people.
The best way to read this book is to read it with a notebook or Word doc in front of you, writing down all of the tidbits that would be useful to you. Not every section is going to be a hit, but there's probably going to be a few things you'll want to remember.
July 26, 2019
This book was geared towards millennials and really, I think that's aiming a little high. While this would be a great gift for someone getting out of college (or maybe high school, if they just skip that first chapter on alcohol), I didn't learn much from this book and I am firmly in the millennial age group. I found the government section incredibly elementary, but I also know there are people who don't know the difference between state and federal government. So maybe I was just there that day that all of this was explained (except investing. No matter how much I read about that it is still terrifying to me), so I didn't have much to learn from this book.
Regardless, it's an easy read and a quick one too, so can be a good tool.
Regardless, it's an easy read and a quick one too, so can be a good tool.
June 29, 2019
I like the concept, and considering the possible audience, I’m sure the information in the book would be very helpful to some. I didn’t resonate with the writing style and humor, nor was it particularly relevant to me.
My main takeaway was learning what current #adulting info is being discussed. I can see how the information on leadership, business, and housework could be helpful to people in their early 20s.
My main takeaway was learning what current #adulting info is being discussed. I can see how the information on leadership, business, and housework could be helpful to people in their early 20s.
June 12, 2019
Great reference book - perfect for going back to when you need info about something. It’s like turning to a super-informed relative/friend for help, but it’s all right there at your fingertips. Super easy to find what you’re looking for, and easy to read/understand. TheSkimm makes info so easy to digest and applicable to your life. Great for young adults.
July 8, 2019
I'm a big fan of the Skimm but most of the information in the book can be found through a simple Google search. The information is in the Skimm voice so very digestible and fun. The graphics are also very cute. Nice idea but nothing groundbreaking.
August 2, 2019
This would be great for recent grads! This includes a lot of info I already knew, but I still learned new things. My favorite section was geopolitics. I learned that Switzerland is not apart of the EU.
July 28, 2019
This is a good coffee table book to flip through. Not a ton of new info here but it does simplify some confusing adult things for new adults.
August 14, 2019
So basic. I guess that's the point. But it really doesn't seem like anything new. I liked the layout though.
September 1, 2019
What even was this supposed to be about?
September 23, 2019
I LOVE HOW THIS BOOK SPARKNOTES LIFE FOR ME. It kind of is like the quirky knowledgeable resourceful older sister I never had.
I have been a long-time reader of the Skimm, and I really enjoy how the newsletter manages to break down complex political issues into understandable chunks. The book truly delivers on its promise of “[taking all of the daunting, cumbersome, and frankly, unsexy parts of being an adult, and [breaking] them down the same way [the Skimm would] break down a complicated news story.” Like the newsletter, everything in this book is written in colloquial language: rather than wrapping up concepts in academic vocabulary and lengthy definitions, the authors made a deliberate effort to make this book an approachable text for everyone.
How to Skimm Your Life is divided into four sections: Skimm Life (basic adulting skills from wine and food to home organization), Skimm MBA (business, networking, interviews), Skimm Money (taxes, insurance, investing, budgeting), and Skimm the World (politics and history primer). I particularly enjoyed the Skimm Money and Skimm the World sections, because even though all of the information offered is easily available online, it was nice to have a paper version of the basic facts compiled in one place for you. I could read ten articles about the US-China trade war on various news outlets, but I think the Skimm gives me a very good solid summary and a great starting point. For instance, if I wanted to learn about the trade war with greater depth, I could always read those articles later. If I had just jumped into the articles, I might learn a lot of specific details or the latest news on the trade war, but I may also miss big picture ideas for why it began.
On the other hand, I found the Skimm Life and Skimm MBA sections to be less useful. First, do broke twenty-year-olds really need to know about different rinds of cheese? I really don’t think I can afford shopping at Whole Foods. Also, I found the interview/career advice to be lackluster. I think you would be much better served picking up a book like Lean In, The Myth of the Nice Girl, or to be honest, any career-oriented self help book at the bookstore.
I do appreciate how visual rich this book is. I’m a huge sucker for infographics, and all the diagrams and illustrations in this book made some dense topics a lot easier to get through (Hello, health insurance premiums).
Tl;dr: I learned a lot about personal finance, organization, and politics in this book: adulting 101. I will be keeping my copy in my house for future reference. And I loved the part at the end stressing the importance of civic engagement. This book should be a necessary read for not just female millennials, but any young adult graduating from high school or college.
I have been a long-time reader of the Skimm, and I really enjoy how the newsletter manages to break down complex political issues into understandable chunks. The book truly delivers on its promise of “[taking all of the daunting, cumbersome, and frankly, unsexy parts of being an adult, and [breaking] them down the same way [the Skimm would] break down a complicated news story.” Like the newsletter, everything in this book is written in colloquial language: rather than wrapping up concepts in academic vocabulary and lengthy definitions, the authors made a deliberate effort to make this book an approachable text for everyone.
How to Skimm Your Life is divided into four sections: Skimm Life (basic adulting skills from wine and food to home organization), Skimm MBA (business, networking, interviews), Skimm Money (taxes, insurance, investing, budgeting), and Skimm the World (politics and history primer). I particularly enjoyed the Skimm Money and Skimm the World sections, because even though all of the information offered is easily available online, it was nice to have a paper version of the basic facts compiled in one place for you. I could read ten articles about the US-China trade war on various news outlets, but I think the Skimm gives me a very good solid summary and a great starting point. For instance, if I wanted to learn about the trade war with greater depth, I could always read those articles later. If I had just jumped into the articles, I might learn a lot of specific details or the latest news on the trade war, but I may also miss big picture ideas for why it began.
On the other hand, I found the Skimm Life and Skimm MBA sections to be less useful. First, do broke twenty-year-olds really need to know about different rinds of cheese? I really don’t think I can afford shopping at Whole Foods. Also, I found the interview/career advice to be lackluster. I think you would be much better served picking up a book like Lean In, The Myth of the Nice Girl, or to be honest, any career-oriented self help book at the bookstore.
I do appreciate how visual rich this book is. I’m a huge sucker for infographics, and all the diagrams and illustrations in this book made some dense topics a lot easier to get through (Hello, health insurance premiums).
Tl;dr: I learned a lot about personal finance, organization, and politics in this book: adulting 101. I will be keeping my copy in my house for future reference. And I loved the part at the end stressing the importance of civic engagement. This book should be a necessary read for not just female millennials, but any young adult graduating from high school or college.
July 1, 2019
I love theSkimm's Daily Skimm in my inbox every morning. Light, intelligent takes on the big stories. So I was excited for this book and preordered it - basically Adulting 101, right? Eh, notsomuch. One, I think I'm a bit older than a person this book would ultimately benefit - it'd be great as a graduation gift for high school or college students. As a person in their early 30s, though... this didn't really add a ton to stuff I've already had to learn about on my own.
I like that it covers everything from wine to geopolitics. However... the wine section was lackluster and weird (though, admittedly, I know a bit more about wine than your average person), and it could have benefited from being generally about libations/alcohol than just about wine. The sections about personal finance are really valuable to graduates for sure. The insurance explainers were great, but they were mostly just about health insurance and renter's insurance. It would have been nice to have home/auto insurance in there as well, though I realize the scope of the book was getting a bit out of control. Geopolitics was also pretty good, but very brief.
One of the features I like most about theSkimm's daily newsletter is that it includes links for further reading within their Skimm takes. I think a bit at the end of each chapter for further resources or reading would have been REALLY nice. Actually, I think it's needed. They give you just enough knowledge to be dangerous but not nearly enough to really understand the topic. Further reading is necessary - and I think rather than hawking some of their own products, they'd have benefited from adding some resources or search terms for people to get more info. The "Further Reading" section at the end is embarrassingly small for the number of topics that they cover.
I think this book had an admirable goal, but it manages to do too much and too little at the same time, and ultimately misses the mark. Good for recent grads, but that's about it.
I like that it covers everything from wine to geopolitics. However... the wine section was lackluster and weird (though, admittedly, I know a bit more about wine than your average person), and it could have benefited from being generally about libations/alcohol than just about wine. The sections about personal finance are really valuable to graduates for sure. The insurance explainers were great, but they were mostly just about health insurance and renter's insurance. It would have been nice to have home/auto insurance in there as well, though I realize the scope of the book was getting a bit out of control. Geopolitics was also pretty good, but very brief.
One of the features I like most about theSkimm's daily newsletter is that it includes links for further reading within their Skimm takes. I think a bit at the end of each chapter for further resources or reading would have been REALLY nice. Actually, I think it's needed. They give you just enough knowledge to be dangerous but not nearly enough to really understand the topic. Further reading is necessary - and I think rather than hawking some of their own products, they'd have benefited from adding some resources or search terms for people to get more info. The "Further Reading" section at the end is embarrassingly small for the number of topics that they cover.
I think this book had an admirable goal, but it manages to do too much and too little at the same time, and ultimately misses the mark. Good for recent grads, but that's about it.
July 28, 2019
Full disclosure: I have no idea what theSkimm is; I saw this book in my weekly Wowbrary newsletter and it looked interesting in a "I can't believe people need so much help adulting" sense, so what the hey. Apparently they're geared towards urban women aged 22-34, so I'm a little beyond their demo, but not to the point I can't relate to what they're peddling.
The book is written like magazine articles, blurby and with lots of illustrations and weak jokes. I imagine the authors were previously employed by Conde Nast or Hearst. Contents include valuable tips like how to clean a toilet and how to choose a wine. There is also a lot of opinion masquerading as fact, and because there are no references or citations on anything, someone who is green enough to need this book probably cannot parse the difference. And that's probably the point.
The chapter on personal finance was very complicated in some areas (are you actually encouraging people to buy individual stocks on the argument that transaction costs will be lower than in mutual funds? Really?) and oversimplified-to-wrong in other areas (taxes, anyone?). You could grab a personal finance book at random and it would give better suggestions than this book does.
The last section on geopolitics and US politics was also skewed and shined. Better than nothing but better used as a starting point than as the final word on the background for current events.
A very quick read; I knocked it out in a day without devoting many hours to it.
The book is written like magazine articles, blurby and with lots of illustrations and weak jokes. I imagine the authors were previously employed by Conde Nast or Hearst. Contents include valuable tips like how to clean a toilet and how to choose a wine. There is also a lot of opinion masquerading as fact, and because there are no references or citations on anything, someone who is green enough to need this book probably cannot parse the difference. And that's probably the point.
The chapter on personal finance was very complicated in some areas (are you actually encouraging people to buy individual stocks on the argument that transaction costs will be lower than in mutual funds? Really?) and oversimplified-to-wrong in other areas (taxes, anyone?). You could grab a personal finance book at random and it would give better suggestions than this book does.
The last section on geopolitics and US politics was also skewed and shined. Better than nothing but better used as a starting point than as the final word on the background for current events.
A very quick read; I knocked it out in a day without devoting many hours to it.
August 16, 2019
This book was a perfect summary to an assortment of important things to know throughout various stages of life. It included all of the things you wish they taught you in high school and the things you need to know in order to be successful and comfortable in life. It provided resources and a glossary to keep track of important terms, dates, and other important concepts. It also included tips and topics that are succinct, clear, easy to follow, formatted in a visually appealing way and help the reader understand extremely important aspects about life in one convenient resource.
This is a book I will go back to at different points in my life when I need help with a basic, foundational understanding of what I'm trying to learn about and/or accomplish.
I was very impressed with this book and am genuinely grateful for it as well. Reading it through in its entirety -just once- taught me so much. It helped me feel not quite so helpless in an ever-confusing world. It functions as a good starting point and a solid reference for important life goals. I highly recommend giving it a run through.
This is a book I will go back to at different points in my life when I need help with a basic, foundational understanding of what I'm trying to learn about and/or accomplish.
I was very impressed with this book and am genuinely grateful for it as well. Reading it through in its entirety -just once- taught me so much. It helped me feel not quite so helpless in an ever-confusing world. It functions as a good starting point and a solid reference for important life goals. I highly recommend giving it a run through.
June 27, 2019
I'm a daily reader of the Skimm newsletter so I assumed their first book would be very similar. The newsletter keeps me abreast of daily happenings in a very brief form so I don't have to watch the news, which I very much appreciate. This book has the same format going for it - brief, too hip it almost hurts language about a variety of topics. And even though I know the newsletter audience is made up of millennials, which is not me, it's nice, light, and airy first thing in the morning with your coffee. The book however doesn't translate well to an older crowd. The topics are way too basic if you are over 30, have lived on your own, and know how to access Google. And creating pithy statements about communism and mortgages in a printed book (vs sentences meant to last 1 day online before being deleted) don't work as well. I wanted to like it so much more than I did and I should have read the fine print (i.e. the intended audience) before pre-ordering. The beautiful graphics and easy to digest layout help raise my rating a bit, but not enough to re-read or keep on my bookshelf.
March 25, 2020
I’ve been debating back and forth between 3 or 4 stars on this. My reason for 3 stars was that there were plenty of sections that were just far too basic so I skimmed through and I’m sure that’s just the nature of a book that covers so many topics. But there were also plenty of section that were incredibly interesting! I especially loved the section on history and politics. For someone who hasn’t brushed up on history in a long time, I loved the layout and how easy it was to follow and brush up on a lot of information I’ve wanted to be more informed on. The illustrations were also incredible. Overall, I’m a big Skimm fan and I loved the idea, content and design of this book!
June 25, 2020
I'm a subscriber to the Daily Skimm or "The Skimm" as it's now called, so I get the emails everyday. They are perfect for highlighting the news of the day and they are a good resource for life tips and recommendations. This book was very short and sweet, but I am probably past the demographic to benefit from all the pointers included. It's best for new graduates or young professionals trying to figure out adulting. It is something I wish I'd read back when I was 21, but you'd definitely need further research; like I said it is VERY short. While I was already privy to most of the information, I enjoyed the chapters on The World the most.
June 11, 2019
3.5 stars. Overall, I enjoyed it, it was a very quick read and some parts were more/less useful to me than others. Not sure I would want to pay full price for it though tbh. But I did LOVE the geopolitics section because I am a huge nerd and that breakdown was fascinating! Some of the sections also weren’t relevant to me (buying a home LOLZ) and some of them (about credit and finance) wee stuff that I already knew, so I didn’t really learn anything different. But still overall it was a quick and easy read.
July 4, 2019
I'm not sure what the point of this was. Why did The Skimm feel the need to publish a book that is basically a collection of "skimmed" items from their newsletter? I'm a huge fan of the newsletter. Read it every day and get a lot out of having world/national news presented in this format. But taking that idea and putting it in book form just didn't work for me. The one value I can actually see this having is as a gift for high school graduates. Other than that, I felt all the information contained within could be easily found from other sources if one is seeking it out.
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